Day  1. Arrival in Yerevan, meeting at the airport, transfer to the accommodation, sightseeing tour of the city (optional),greeting dinner

• Yerevan is one of the ancient cities in the world, founded in 782 B.C. by Argishti II. During the excursion you’ll attend the Republic Square, which had been building for 50 years by different architects, nevertheless a perfect architectural ensemble has been made; Opera and Ballet National Academic Theatre is a unique architectural complex in the center of Yerevan; Ring boulevard, where you’ll see monuments to Andranik Zoravar, Griboedov, Zoravar Vartan Mamikonyan, Michael Nalbandyan, Ivan Aivazovsky; St. Grigor Lusavorich Cathedral; Cinema ‘’Russia’’, Komitas Chamber Music House, Cascade hills, Yerevan train station of Sasuntsi David, which has become the symbol of Yerevan.
• Visiting "Erebuni" Historical and Archaeological Museum
• Greeting dinner

Day  2. Etchmiadzin, Hripsime, Shoghakat, Gayane, Sardarapat, National Museum of Armenian Ethnography, Zvartnots

• Etchmiadzin is 15 km from Yerevan. This place is worshiped by Armenians all over the world, because here is the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Etchmiadzin, the former name of which is Vagharshapat, was founded in the first half of the II century on the site of ancient colony Vardgesavan. Since 163, after the destruction of Artashat by the Romans, the town has become the political, cultural, and later the religious and enlightening center of the country.
• St. Hripsime Church before the entrance to Etchmiadzin stands a magnificent St. Hripsime Temple. Hripsime is the name of a martyr, whose grave is located in the tomb, under the altar. On the site of her death in the fourth century A.C. was built a chapel, and in the seventh century Catholicos Komitas erected a temple.
• St. Shoghakat Church. Shoghakat is the name of one of the 40 martyrs, whose grave is also under the altar. It is located not far from the St. Hripsime Church. According to a blindly accepted belief, the temple got its name from the name of a virgin, who perished there. However, the name of the martyr, according to а legend, is Marine. The name ‘’Shoghakat’’ is connected with the vision of Grigor Lusavorich and means ‘’descending ray’’. The church was built in the XVII century.
• St. Gayane Church is south from the temple of Etchmiadzin. It was built in 630 by the designation of Catholicos Ezra, on the site of a chapel, erected in the place, where, according to the same legend, was buried Gayane, the abbess of virgin-christians and the governess of Hripsime, who also accepted martyrdom and, like Hripsime, was convicted to a rank of saints. In the southern aisle, near the altar apse, the relics of Hripsime are at rest.
• St. Etchmiadzin Cathedral in 301 Christianity became the state religion in Armenia. According to a legend, the first patriarch Grigor Lusavorich had a vision as the only begotten, Jesus Christ, came down from heaven with a flaming hammer in his hands and indicated the place for building the Cathedral. There, where was an ancient pagan temple, in 303 was built the church, named Etchmiadzin, which in Armenian means “Descent of the Only Begotten Son".
• Sardarapat is a sculptural and architectural complex, 45 km west from Yerevan. It was founded in 1968, in honor of the triumph of the Armenians over Turkish Invaders in 1918, when the Turkish troops intruded into Ararat valley and occupied Sardarapat village. The decisive battle for the Armenians took place in May of 1918 and was crowned with victory. This memorial complex doesn’t have any analogs in Armenian Architecture, it harmoniously combines the sculpture and architecture from red tuff.
• National Museum of Armenian Ethnography is a scientific and cultural, educational complex, where the historical exhibits, referring to the cultural heritage of the Armenians from ancient times till our days, are kept, studied and exhibited since ancient times. It was founded in 1968 as a part of Memorial Complex of Sardarapat. The architect of the whole complex and museum is Rafael Israelyan.
• Zvartnots Temple is 10 km from Yerevan. The construction of the Temple of Watching Forces began in 641-643 and had been conducting for 20 years. The initiator of the construction was Catholicos Nerses III the Builder (Shinarar), who engaged masters from ancient Armenian town Dvin, a city which was famous for its beauty. Extant to our days remains of Zvartnots are witnessing the glory of the building.

Day  3. Lake Sevan, Sevanavank, Dilijan, Haghartsin, Goshavank

• Lake Sevan a nature miracle, adjoining the sky, the most beautiful of all the high-mountain lakes, is located in a huge thicket at the height of 1916 meters above sea level, it is the largest in the Caucasus region, 1240 km2, with the depth up to 83 meters. The Sevan is 63 km north from Yerevan. It is fed by 28 rivers and streams, the only flowing out river is the River Hrazdan. Its water is clear and pure, according to a legend, only stars and gods drank water from the Sevan.
• Sevanavank Monastery is 6 km west from the town of Sevan, on Sevan peninsula. Before the shallowing of the lake, the peninsula was a small island, separated from the land by a three-kilometer stride. At the end of the VIII century a few monarchs settled there. The congenial location of the island contributed to the enlargement of the monastic brethren and the dynamic construction of the Monastery.
• Dilijan is 99 km north from Yerevan. Dilijan is the climatic and balneological mountain resort of Armenia, which is famous abroad for its wonderful beauty.
• Dinner
• Haghartsin Monastery is 18 km west from Dilijan, in a wooded valley of the Ijevan range. It was built in the XI-XIII centuries.
• Goshavank Monastery is 20 km west from Dilijan, 8 km from Dilijan-Ijevan highway, in Gosh village, on the right bank of the River Getik. The Monastery was constructed in the XII century, on the site of ancient Getik Monastery, ruined in 1188 by an earthquake.

Day  4. Garni, Geghard

• The temple of Garni is 28 km south-west from Yerevan, over the gorge of the River Azat is located a fortress of the same name. On the hill, surrounded by vineyards, rise the remains of the pagan temple (the I century). The pagan temple Garni is the only monument to the epoch of Hellenism in Armenia. The temple, dedicated to the sun goddess Mythra, was built in the second half of the first century, in the days of Tiridates I.
• Geghard Monastery is 7 km north-west from Garni, above the gorge of the River Azat. There was founded a cloister named Ayrivank (Cave-Monastery) because of its location in natural and artificial caves. The later name of the Monastery – Geghard, church legends connect with the spear, once kept there, the one, with which Jesus Christ was pierced by one of the Romanian legionaries, guarding him.
  The diamond-shaped tip plate of that spear nowadays is kept in the Museum of Armenian Church in Etchmiadzin.

Day  5. Khor Virap, Areni, Noravank Monastery, "Wings of Tatev" cableway, Tatev Monastery

• Khor Virap an architectural monument of the XVII century, monastery-fortress, is located on the hill, near the village of Pokr Verdi. In ancient times here used to be a historical city Artashat, one of ancient capitals of Armenia. The Monastery is one of the saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the place of pilgrimage. On the site of the monastery-fortress there used to be czar’s prison ‘’Virap’’, a deep pit, filed with poisonous snakes and insects, where condemned prisoners were thrown. Here bore his anguishes Saint Grigor Lusavorich, the initiator of acceptance of Christianity in Armenia (301). According to a legend, he was imprisoned in the dungeon by the order of King Tiridates III and spent there 13 years.
• Village Areni is one of the oldest villages of historical Syunik. The significance of the village was explained, first of all, by its geographical location on exit from a gorge, connecting Vayots Dzor with the valley of Sharur. Thereby, the village was not only a resting-place, but also an important military point. On the surrounding heights military fortifications were built. In the XIII century King Orbelyan Tarsaich built a palace here. By his order Bishop Sarkis (1265-1287) of Noravank built a three-arch bridge near Areni on the river, the foundation of which remained till our days. In 1321 by the order of Bishop Hovhannes of Syunik the architect Momik built St. Astvatsatsin Church in Areni.
• Dinner, wine degustation
• Noravank Monastery is located among fancy sheer red cliffs at the mouth of a meandering gorge. The Monastery was founded in the XII century on the site of ancient buildings. In the days of King Orbelyan it became a major religious center, and in the XIV century – the residence of the Bishops of Syunik. The gorge is famous for sheer red cliffs, rising behind the Monatery, on the territory of which is located a two-story St. Astvatsatsin Church with narrow cantilevered staircases. This Church, the construction of which was finished in 1339, is considered the last masterpiece of a talented Armenian sculptor and miniaturist Momik.
• "Wings of Tatev" cableway is the longest reversible aerial tramway, connecting villages Halidzor and Tatev through Vorotan gorge, stretches 5,7 km. The maximum height above the gorge is 320 km. The cabin, holding 25 passengers, moves with the maximal speed of 37 km/h, passing the way from the point of departure to the destination in 11 minutes 25 seconds.
• Tatev Monastery is located in the middle of Syunik Province in South Armenia, 30 km from the town of Goris near the village of the same name – Tatev, on the right bank of the River Vorotan. It was founded in 895-906. The Monastery is one of the intellectual centers of medieval Armenia. Its strategically beneficial location on a foreland, created by the deep, rocky slopes of the river, prospered to the creation of a powerful defensive complex. Gavazan (the pendulous column), built in 904 in the courtyard, near the living quarters of the Monastery, refers to the number of unique works of architectural-engineering art of Armenia. It is octahedral, folded out of shallow stones, column with the height of 8 meters. Under the impact of seismic soil fluctuations and even from a simple touch of a human arm, the column, due to articulation, bent and returned to its initial position.

Day  6. Ashtarak, Karmravor, St. Marine, Oshakan

• Ashtarak is located on the bank of the River Kasakh, 20 km north-east from Yerevan. Ashtarak is one of the oldest towns of Armenia with a variety of monuments of Material culture.
• Karmravor Church the most famous monument of Ashtarak is well preserved Karmravor Church, built in the VII century. This is the only monument in Armenia, tiled roof of which retained until our days.
• St. Marine Church is located in Ashtarak and was built in 1281. St. Marine Church is devoted to one of the 40 virgin martyrs.
• Village Oshakan is 4 km south from Ashtarak. Here is the burial place of great Armenian Saint Mesrop Mashtots, the creator of the alphabets of very different in language nations – Armenian, Georgian and Albanian Caucasians. Above the grave of Saint Mesrop Mashtots, located in the south-east of the village, in 443 was built a small chapel by Vahagn Amatuni, where in 1875-1879 was built a church by Catholicos George III. On the right side, near the altar, was a tomb, where in the foundation of an ancient chapel, under the marble tombstone, the relics of Mesrop Mashtots are at rest.

Day  7. Mughni, Armenian Alphabet Monument, Haghpat Monastery, Sanain Monastery, Dsegh

• Mughni Monastery is 22 km north from Yerevan, located in the village of the same name. The complex is consisted of the main St. George Church (1661-1669) with a gallery, refectory, abbot’s chamber and a service room. The building of the Monastery is surrounded by a beautiful, soigne garden and a wall. Leeft from the altar is St. George’s grave.
• Armenian Alphabet Monument is located in the village of Artashavan in the region of Aragatsotn, on the west slope of Mount Aragats. The complex was built in 2005, to the 1600th anniversary of Armenian Alphabet. It includes the sculptures of the 39 letters of Armenian Alphabet and also the monuments of great Armenian thinkers. Armenian is an independent branch of the Indo-European languages. Armenian Alphabet was created by MesropMashtots in 405; it’s used in Armenia.
• Haghpat Monastery is 7 km east from Sanain. Presumably, it was built in the X century, it’s is one the largest monastic complexes in Armenia, which has unique features of Armenian mediaeval architecture.
• Sanain Monastery is located in the village of the same name, on a small mountain plateau, near the canyon of the River Debed, at the height of 1000 meters above sea level. The Church complex refers to the X-XIII centuries.
  Both Monasteries are ranked to the world heritage of UNESCO — United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
• Village Dsegh is located on the edge of a chine in Lori Province of Armenia. There are two sights in the village: the first is a colorful landscape and an ancient Kobayr Monastery, and the second one is the hometown of a great Armenian writer, poet and public figure Hovhannes Tumanyan.

Day  8. Matenadaran, Tsitsernakaberd, "ARARAT" Brandy Factory or "NOY" Wine and Brandy Factory

• Matenadaran is located in the center of Yerevan, the modern building, built by the project of an architect M. Grigoryan in 1959, is a storage of ancient unique manuscripts and has about 20000 storage units.
• Tsitsernakaberd is located on the hill of the same name, on the right bank of the River Hrazdan in Yerevan, built by the project of architects A. Tarkhanyan and S. Kalashyan in 1967. The Memorial Complex and the Museum are devoted to the victims of Armenian Genocide of 1915.
• "ARARAT" Brandy Factory is located on the right bank of the River Hrazdan, the building was built by the project of an architect O. Margaryan in 1953. The beginning of the production of cognac in Armenia was in 1887 in Iravani by a merchant and philanthropist Nerses Tairyan, which subsequently was obtained by Nikolay Shustov in 1898. In 1948 due to the reorganization of the Yerevan Wine and Brandy Factory (this was the previous name of Shustov’s factory in late 1940s) into the Yerevan Winery, the manufactory of alcohol distillation and cognac manufactory were merged into the separate Yerevan Cognac Factory. In 1953, after the finishing of construction and moving in a new building, the independent history of Yerevan Cognac Factory began.
• "NOY" Wine and Brandy Factory is located on the territory of the Fortress of Iravani, built in the XVI century by Persian Farad Pasha. In 1853 the Fortress was almost ruined by a severe earthquake and its territory was bought by Nerses Tairyan. In 1887 Tairyan began the production of Armenian cognac, which in 1989 continued Nikolay Shustov. The modern construction was built by an architect R. Israelyan in 1938. During the excursion you can get accustomed to the unique productions of cognac and wine, degustate them and purchase.

Day  9. Check out, Transfer to the airport